


Alma Gemela

by HereLiesBethBoland



Category: Good Girls (TV)
Genre: F/M, Friendship/Love, Getting to Know Each Other, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-14
Updated: 2019-03-14
Packaged: 2019-11-18 05:30:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,599
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18114248
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HereLiesBethBoland/pseuds/HereLiesBethBoland
Summary: Sometimes two souls find a home in an unlikely place aka Beth and Rio are starting to figure out what we already know. That they belong together.:)





	Alma Gemela

**Author's Note:**

> So I started writing this fic before season 2 started and I edited it a bit to go along with that. Its a bit AU because Dean didn't get shot but Rio is doing the teaching thing. It is kind of all over the place and is only my second fic so bear with me as I learn how to develop plot.  
> hope you guys like it! all critiques are welcome; I want to get better! <3

Alma Gemela  
(A Brio One-Shot)  
  
Rio made his way up the manicured lawn of Beth’s house and went to the backyard. He looked at his watch and saw that it was 9:45. He was early. He contemplated sitting on her back steps and waiting til their regularly scheduled time, but he was cold and he figured she wouldn’t mind if he was early. He dug the key out of his pocket and let himself in the backdoor.  
  
_Damn, it smells good in here.  
_  
Beth was always baking something. Mom of the year and all that. Comes with the territory, Rio supposed. He is impressed nonetheless. He pretends it doesn’t affect him one way or another, when she mentions those kids. But he knows what it takes to be a mother like her; to give of yourself fully to those you love. He had a mama like that, too.  
  
The fact that Beth reminded Rio of his own mother probably contributed to his lenient treatment of her and her girls from the beginning. He was human, after all. Regardless of the face he wore as a boss. And, there was something to be said for allowing your humanness to direct your path. It was a delicate balance. Sometimes you had to push out those emotions; be objective. But not too much that you ignored your gut. Rio’s gut never lied, and when Beth had betrayed him in the worst way, he knew immediately that he wasn’t going to “handle” her the way most people would be handled. In hindsight, getting involved with bunch of soft, suburban moms was probably not the wisest move he’s ever made.  
He was allowing his gut to lead the way with Beth though, and he wasn’t even sorry about it. He knew he would have some pushback from his boys but ultimately, they’d fall in line. They had no choice.  
  
Things between them had changed after that night. The one where Rio had come to her house and made her face her new reality. He wanted her to really see where she was in this and he needed to know if she was ready to go all in. It had been a test; like the truck. But instead of throwing keys in his face, Beth fell in line like a good soldier. After forcing her worthless husband out of the house at gunpoint, she had shifted the barrell to Rio. Her tears dried and her hands no longer shaking, she was starting to come into her own. She didn’t realize it, but he did. He was watching her with fascination.  
  
He had walked slowly up to her.. Until the gun rested right above his heart. Staring at her, he asked her what she wanted.  
  
“I want what we had. I don’t want it to be over.”  
  
“So you sell me out? Funny way to show you care.” Had been his soft reply.  
  
“We thought you were gonna kill us.”  
  
“I’m not the one holdin’ the gun, sweetheart.”  
  
She lowered the gun slowly before turning it around and handing it back to him in a show of submission. Her huge eyes looked up at him and as she whispered “I’m sorry.” They filled with new moisture. She crumbled in on herself until she was kneeling on the floor at his feet.  
  
Rio had looked down at her for a moment. He tucked his gun back in his waistband before reaching out his hand. She had taken it and he pulled her up.  
  
Beth was looking at the floor. She was really starting to feel like a piece of shit for betraying him. _What had they been thinking?  
_  
He lifted her chin gently with his finger until she was looking at him again. “Listen to me. I got you. I see you. I know what happened. The feds got nothin’ and so now what I need from you is to know that you ready to go all in. You can do a few more runs with your shoppers and then let them know the company is downsizing. No more side hustles, and no more robbing damn grocery stores unless I tell you to rob a damn grocery store. Do you understand?”  
  
Beth had looked at him with equal parts confusion and astonishment.  
  
“And don’t get on your knees for anyone, ever. You are not weak. You strong. You just need some guidance.” Rio’s stare was so intense, Beth thought she would burst into flames.  
  
“How can you forgive what I did?”  
  
“Don’t get it twisted, sweetheart, I ain’t sayin’ I forgive you. But I got plans and they involve you.”  
  
“But how can you trust me now?”  
  
“Because I feel it here.” Rio pointed right under his ribs. “I want to show you how things work..Are you going to trust me?” He remembers the desperation in her eyes. But he also saw flames. Like a phoenix rising. Yeah. he had plans.  
  
In a normal world, the shift between Rio and Beth would have been for the worst; you don’t get away with selling people out to the feds and beating up someone’s husband usually didn’t pave the way for a healthy relationship. But for Beth and Rio this shift had made the force between them even stronger. And Rio finally felt like they were on the same page. He was also starting to have.. Feelings. It made him anxious because he knew these would need to be dealt with one way or another.  
  
  
Rio glanced around the empty kitchen . He saw baking supplies and pans with cupcake sleeves in them strewn all over the counter. On the table he saw all the receipts from the shoppers next to her open laptop.  
  
“Elizabeth?” he called out softly. Usually she was waiting for him in here. He texted her and immediately saw her phone light up right by the bowl of cake batter.  
  
He sat down on the bar stool and started returning emails.  
  
After a few minutes Rio heard what sounded like singing coming from Beth’s bedroom.  
  
_I used to visit all those very gay places  
With distant gray traces  
Where one relaxes on the axis of the wheel of life  
_  
Curiosity peaked, Rio walked stealthily to the doorway. The door was cracked so he opened it a bit more and peaked in. Beth was holding her youngest in a big armchair and singing softly to her. He walked in and leaned up against the wall watching them. He caught her eyes and cocked an eyebrow at her smiling amusedly. Beth rolled her eyes and smiled slightly at him, turning back to Emma she continued singing.  
  
_Then you came along with your siren song  
To tempt me to madness!  
I thought for a while that your poignant smile was tinged with the sadness  
Of a greater love for me.._

  
Beth looked at Rio again. He was watching her intensely now. It made her heart speed up.  
Emma had reached up and was playing with Beth’s hair. Her eyes were starting to close.  
  


Beth continued to sing, knowing that if she stopped too soon, her daughter would open her eyes again.

  
_Life is lonely again,  
And only last year everything seemed so sure.  
_  
Rio couldn’t take his eyes off of Beth. She was beautiful. As easily as she had taken to a life of crime, this was who she was. A Mother. She was so much more but damn, she loved this. He felt warmth in his chest as the little brunette reached up to play with Beth’s hair. He used to play with his moms hair to fall asleep too. He missed his mami.

 

Rio groaned inwardly. It has been a hot minute since he allowed himself to feel anything besides determination and calculated detachment;  
this woman was making him soft.

 

 _I’ll forget you I will..forget you while still  
Burning inside my brain  
_  
Beth stopped singing when she noticed Emma was asleep. Rio shook himself out of his daze. She smiled at him again a little embarrassed now. “Here comes the tough part,” Beth whispered to him. “She is heavier than she looks.” She adjusted Emma in her arms and stood up, making her way over to her bed.  
  
“Need help?” Rio whispered to her in the darkened room.  
  


“It's ok,” she smiled at him “I got it.” She laid the girl down on her tummy and covered her with a blanket. Beth leaned down and kissed the tiny head and Rio followed her out the door.  
  
“Sorry about that,” she said in her normal voice, chuckling a bit. “She used to wake up all the time and want me to sing to her but it had been at least six months since the last time and...I don’t know why I am telling you this…” Beth trailed off as she made her way back to the kitchen.  
  
“You can sing.” Rio said plainly.  
  
“Well anyone can sing to their kid.” she waved him off laughing, coming to stand next to the island.  
  
“Not like that.”  
  
Beth was feeling a bit exposed and slightly embarrassed that Rio had witnessed such an intimate display between her and her child...she kind of wanted to change the subject. Things had been...different..between her and Rio the last two weeks and she wasn’t quite sure what to make of it. Ever since he offered to show her the ropes, so to speak, the dynamic had shifted between them, putting them on more equal footing. This had a side effect of making Beth feel vulnerable and just kinda weird around him. She didn’t hate it.  
  
Ok well if she’s honest, part of it was that ever since that night, she had not-so-G-rated teacher/student scenarios cycling through her brain on a daily basis.  
  
“I'll get the drop,” she said attempting to change the subject, “I meant to have it ready for you and then Emma woke up.”  
  
Rio watched as she gathered up a few stacks of money that were next to her computer. The ones with the green rubber bands. She handed him the duffle bag. He was giving the ladies money to wash as a way to earn and stay busy. He knew they still had debts to pay off and for some reason his fondness for Elizabeth was starting to spill over on to those she cared about. He had other plans for her, but it couldn’t hurt to practice being a boss on the shoppers.  
  
“Thanks.” he said as he took the bag and dumped it next to the backdoor.  
  
“Aren't’ you gonna count that?” Beth asked him, gesturing to the duffle.  
  
“Nah.”  
  
“Okay…Well..are you hungry or something?” Rio was just staring at her. She was confused. “What are you looking at?”  
  
“I’m just trying to figure you out.”  
  
“There's nothing to figure out. Is this about the singing? It's not a big deal, a lot of people know how to sing!” She said brushing him off.  
  
“Not like that, though. You are really good.”  
  
Beth blushed. “Thanks.” She was feeling heated at this point.. and was suddenly regretting changing into yoga pants and an old tshirt. He was still staring.  
  
“I am gonna finish these cupcakes and get them in the oven. Do you wanna help me or just stare at me?”  
  
He huffed out a laugh as he came up closer to the mess of baking supplies. Beth handed him the bowl with the batter. “Here. Scoop some into the paper cups it's very easy.”  
  
“I know how to make cupcakes.” Rio responded. He started unceremoniously dumping the batter. Beth cringed a little bit but she was happy to have the help. Honestly, single motherhood did wonders for slaying that perfectionism she struggled with for so long.  
  
“Oh, do you now? Forgive me I just didn’t take you for a cupcake baking kind of criminal.” Beth teased.  
  
Rio looked at her with an eyebrow raised. “I took home-ec, ok ? Easiest ‘A’ ever.”  
  
Beth smiled thinking about a teenage Rio screwing around with his buddies in home-ec class. She could see it. He did have a boyish charm to him. Or maybe it was easy to visualize since he wasn’t far removed from the high school years. That was a depressing thought. Just how old was he? Beth had wondered this more than a few times. She wasn’t really into the cougar thing.  
  
Doesn’t matter, how old he is. He is my business partner aka reluctant mentor. _Nothing more,_ she reminded herself then huffed out as self-deprecating laugh at her mental musing.  
  
“What’s so funny?” Rio asked smiling as he continued to very sloppily fill the cupcake sleeves. He was really concentrating too which Beth found amusing.  
  
“I'm just picturing you in high school right now and it's really cute.”

  
“You think I’m cute?  
  
“I can just see it. I bet you hadn’t grown into your height yet, and that you sagged your pants.well sagged them more anyway.”  
  
“Well ya, I mean, it was the 90s, of course my pants were like, halfway to the floor.” Rio shook his head and laughed. “So stupid.”  
  
Beth blanched. “The 90s?! That’s when I went to high school. Wait wait wait…”  
  
“How young did you think I was, Mama? Aye its this Latin skin.” He said it as pointed to his face. He had finished the cupcake filling and was now staring at her in amusement with his arms crossed, leaning up against the counter.  
  
Beth was taking a pan of cupcakes out of the oven that had just finished and put the tray Rio had done in there. She busied herself around the kitchen trying to stall answering his question. “What?” she asked as she started mixing frosting in the kitchen aid.  
  
“I said, how young did you think I was?”  
  
“I don’t know,” Beth gestured as she stopped the mixer and wiped the frosting from the sides where it had gathered. She absentmindedly stuck a finger in the mixture to taste it, and went to add more sugar.  
  
He was watching her and had moved in close. “Well?”  
  
Beth rolled her eyes and looked at him as she turned the mixer on again to the slow setting. “I don’t know.. Like 26, 27..?” Rio barked out a laugh at that.  
“Girl, I graduated in 2000. Which makes me 36.”  
  
“Oh,” Beth started, “That’s… good.”  
  
“Oh yeah? Why’s that?” He was smirking at her now. Clearly amused by the whole situation.  
  
“I just mean in general, it's good you're more experienced , I mean” she stuttered “Not experienced..” Beth breathed out a laugh and attempted to continue. She probably should have stopped while she was ahead. “What I am saying is that it's good that you are older and have more business experience under your belt. You know. For us being is business with you and everything.”  
  
“Oh is that right? Because business?” Rio was full on smiling at her now, the high beams smile. She blushed and looked down.  
  
“Ok. shut up.” She unhooked the bowl from the mixer and brought it over to the cooling cupcakes. Rio was next to her in an instant sticking his finger in the bowl.  
  
“Hey!” She smacked him in the shoulder with the rubber spatula. “No tasting until they are done.”  
  
“But you did.” Beth rolled her eyes. “Geez you are worse than the kids. I had to taste it to see if it was sweet enough.”  
  
“Oh its sweet enough.” The look he gave her almost made her drop the cupcake she was holding on the ground. She cleared her throat to break the tension. What was this thing between them? Beth felt like she was the one in home-ec class and had just been paired up with her crush. It was just so ridiculous.

 

_Did he feel it too? God I wish I knew if I was delusional or not._

  
They both lapsed into silence then. Beth was frosting the red velvet cupcakes and Rio was watching. She was slightly amused by it. He just had a youthfulness about him tonight that she had to admit was charming her socks clean off.  
  
“I used to watch my mama do this. She loved to bake, too.” Beth looked up at him.  
  
“Did she let you help? I am bad about that sometimes with my kids. I want the cupcakes to actually look presentable.”  
  
“Yea, she would always let me help. I always made a mess.”  
  
Beth noticed the wistful look on his face. She wanted to ask him more about his mother. Was she still alive? She wondered but didn’t feel comfortable enough to ask.  
  
“Well, it seems you haven’t improved much in that area.” Beth gestured over to the other side of the island where Rio had been filling the pan with batter. He chuckled as he saw red splotches all over.  
  
He smiled at her.  
  
“She used to sing to me, too.”  
  
Beth smiled back. She was enjoying this open Rio and found herself becoming more and more curious about the circumstances leading him to a life of crime. The more time Beth spent with him, the more he started to seem like a true diamond in the rough. One that had been refined by struggles and pain.

  
The pair continued to talk while Beth finished the cupcakes. Rio was schooling her now on the importance of location when it came to finding businesses to launder money through. She was impressed by the sheer scale of his dealings. She listened intently to him; genuinely interested in learning from him. Granted, he was a criminal, and Beth was finding that more and more she was having to squash her conditioned ethics down and rationalize these new perspectives that were taking up residence in her mind. It was exciting. She could feel herself transforming. Like a butterfly coming out of a cocoon.  
  
Perhaps Rio was the sun coaxing her out.  
  
“Can I ask you something?” Beth ventured, suddenly feeling brave and almost antsy.  
  
“Anything, mama.” He said it with such sincerity it made her breath hitch.  
  
“What is this, really? Why are you teaching me and hanging out with me?” As soon as she asked, the doubts flooded in. Her eyes were questioning him with subtle insecurity underneath their gorgeous blue depths.  
  
“I’ve been asking myself the same question, sweetheart.” He looked at her, his eyes half closed, assessing her. “I think I figured it out though, if you wanna hear it.”  
  
Rio regarded her seriously. He was testing the waters. This was not like him; to be vulnerable. Beth was special; he didn’t want her to be, he did not ask for this. But here they were and she had taken up residence in his gut. He needed to open up a little if he wanted to grow closer. It was either that or push her away for good. That didn’t seem like an option and frankly when he thought about it, he felt pain.  
  
“Yes, please.” Beth replied softly  
  
“Let’s go sit down.”  
  
Beth nodded and led the way to the living room, but not before making a pit stop for her bourbon.  
  
“You want a drink?” she asked him.  
  
“I’m good, darlin’, gotta drive.” He winked at her and she felt like she would spontaneously combust. She wanted to tell him he never had to leave but thought that might come off as just a tad desperate. Beth laughed inwardly at herself for the umpteenth time that night as she poured her drink.  
  
Rio was already settled on the couch when she walked up and stood across from him. He had one leg crossed over the other and his casual hand to the chin pose.. He looked… pensive.  
  
Beth stood in from of him and met his eyes. She could feel the shift between them and just knowing that he was about to open up to her made her feel some kind of way. She wasn’t sure exactly what was about to go down, but her entire body was buzzing and she was ready to face this thing between them. For a brief moment she considered the possibility that he would say “This is nothing, you are a bored delusional housewife. See you next week for the drop.” But something about the way he was staring at her helped ease that fear. What’s funny is that he had been looking at her like that for while.  
  
Like he had found a rare treasure and wasn’t quite sure what to do with it.  
  
“So Rio, what did you want to talk to me about?” Beth teased him and took sip of her drink, attempting to ease the tension a bit. Her arm was wrapped across her middle, protectively. Rio reached out to her then; pulling her arm out from around her and grasping her fingers. He tugged her down gently, and as she sat next to him, he kept her hand in his. Beth looked down at her thigh where her hand rested palm up; his gently covering it. He slowly rubbed the palm of his hand over hers a few times; back and forth, flattening her fingers out and watching as he did it. Beth’s body felt like it was on fire from this simple affection from him. She watched as he continued to rub her hand until finally he intertwined his fingers with her.  
  
“Soft.” he said and looked at her. Black, heavy-lidded eyes blinked slowly and met busted-open blue. Beth fought to control her breathing. She waited patiently for him to speak, just resting in the moment.  
  
“This life is dangerous,” he began, his voice low and gravelly, “and even more so when people you care about get mixed up in it.” Beth nodded. “I care about you. More than is safe for any of us.” Beth felt her heart constrict at his words.  
“That concerns me,” he continued. “I don’t want you to get hurt, I don’t want to endanger my boys either. If anyone caught wind of this weakness I got, things could get really messy for me. It puts a target on our backs. I know you are working your way up the chain and you been workin’ hard. You a natural born leader.” He squeezed her hand.

  
“So what does that mean?” She asked him.  
  
“It means I need to show you how to survive in this. Because I don’t want to lose you..”  
  
“But why? Why me? Why don’t you want to lose me, Rio?” Beth asked, struggling to understand what made her special.

  
Rio felt his chest clench when she said his name.  
  
Beth’s heart sped up as Rio’s gaze grew exponentially darker and more intense.  
  
“This thing with us,” he gestured between them with his finger which was still entwined with hers. “Is heat like I never felt before. Its burning me up, mama.” Rio brought both his hands up to her neck and ran his fingers through her hair at the base of her skull. Beth closed her eyes. She leaned forward into him and he rested his forehead on hers.  
  
“But it's more than just heat,” Rio continued. He grasped her head firmly and held her to him. He pulled back a fraction. “Look at me.” he said. Beth opened her eyes and stared into his. She was feeling that heat, alright. “My mami told me that when i found my ‘alma gemela’ I would know because I would feel two things. Heat and finality. And see, that is why I am here. Because I feel it with you and I never have before. I tried to ignore it but I can’t.”  
  
He had moved closer to her, his lips millimeters from hers. She closed her eyes as he whispered her name against her lips.  
  
Beth shuddered and asked softly then, “What does ‘alma gemela’ mean?” Rio paused for a beat, staring at her.  
  
“Soulmate.” He said, his lips crashing into hers. She whimpered as he kissed her passionately and then slowed down; finally pulling back to gauge her reaction. Beth’s hands were clenched in his shirt at his waist, she was holding on for dear life and trying to catch her breath.  
  
_Did he just call me his soulmate?_

_A dangerous gang leader just called me his soulmate._

  
A sinking feeling took hold of Beth as she recalled what Rio had been saying before the “soulmate” declaration. Those concerns were casting a shadow on the lust that was rapidly approaching fever pitch.  
  
Just as her brain was about to ruin everything, Rio moved his hands from her hair and wrapped his arms around her, pulling her onto his lap. Beth’s arms instantly went around his neck. She collapsed on him, hugging him close. It felt good. He was so strong.  
  
_He is dangerous. This life is dangerous. But he is also strong. Intelligent.  
Trustworthy.  
  
_As she lay there listening to his contented sigh, Beth realized she would rather live with danger than with feeling trapped. And despite the danger, she had a deep sense that he would protect her at all costs. Better yet, he would show her how to protect herself.

 

Rio sighed and blew out a breath relaxing into the hold he had on her. His hands rested lightly on her thighs. Beth sat up and regarded him.  
  
“So what now?” she asked. Her eyes looked dreamy and it made him smile.  
  
“Now you tell me what you think this is.”  
  
“After that?!” Beth laughed pointing at him. “How could I ever top that.” Rio chuckled and leaned his head back on the couch. He started a trail with his hands from the tops of her thighs, up her hips to her waist and back down again. It was making her dizzy.  
  
“C’mon darlin’ give it a shot.” He dared her with his eyes. The obsidian depths really were a sight to behold, and Beth wasn’t sure she could deny him anything when they were focused on her like that.  
  
“I think….” Beth bit her lip and tilted her head. She gave him a teasing look like she was trying to figure out this mystery. But it was a big, fat sham. Because Beth was a hundred percent on the soulmate wagon.

 

“..I agree with you. To hell with the consequences. I want you.” She smiled at him sheepishly, a bit embarrassed to be vocalizing something so personal to this man who had carved his way into her heart.

 

Rio pulled her down into another kiss then, this time opening her mouth with his tongue which she eagerly accepted. He groaned as she bit his lip and rubbed her fingers up his scalp.  
  
“Rio,” she whispered desperately. All embarrassment forgotten at the feel of his hands on her.  
  
“What, baby?” He asked between kisses. Each one becoming more intense. Rio’s hands were everywhere now. In her hair, down her shoulders, her arms and back into her hair.  
  
“What do you want?” His thumbs were tracing her lips as he kissed her. “Mmm, you’re so beautiful, Elizabeth.”  
  
“Please.” She whispered against his lips.  
  
“Tell me.” He said roughly, grabbing her hips forcefully.  
  
Rio felt his axis tip on its side. He was losing control fast and was starting to feel a desperate sense of longing. He didn’t want anything cheap with her, though. He wanted to take his time; worship her body the way she deserved.  
  
“Touch me,” Was her reply, and his brain shorted out.  
  
“You got it, mama.” He kissed her again and the world disappeared. 

**Author's Note:**

> Song Beth sang to Emma is Lush Life.. the Natalie Cole version. :)
> 
> These characters are not mine- just borrowing them. Thanks NBC!


End file.
